RAGDA PATTICE (Potato patties with white peas curry)

Ragda is a non-spicy curry made using white or green dried peas and served with pattice which is a usual pattice made with mashed boiled potatoes. In India, this dish is served as chaat- a popular street food/snack especially in Mumbai. My version is healthier and equally delicious, and can be easily served as a main course! If your pattice is plain and simple, then you can serve this dish with two chutneys – mint chutney and tamarind chutney. However, if you pattice is flavored with ginger-chili paste, you don’t need the chutneys for additional flavors. You can try it both ways. I remember making this dish for 50 servings while I was at college. Since then, I love this recipe, although there is a variety of ways to making this dish.

Ingredients For Ragda (6-8 servings)

1 cup white/green dried peas

1 yellow onion*, diced finely

2 tomatoes, diced finely

1 green chili, optional

1” ginger/ 2 tsp ginger paste

2 large cloves garlic/ 1 tsp garlic paste

½ tsp cumin seeds

Pinch of asafoetida

¼ tsp turmeric powder

¾ tsp red chili powder

¾ tsp corriander powder ^

½ roasted fennel seeds ^

½ tsp kasuri methi ^

3 black pepper corns ^

1 bay leaf

1” cinnamon stick

1 tsp sugar

3 tbsp oil

Cilantro, chopped

Salt as needed

Ingredients For Pattice (8 pieces)

1 large Russet potato*

1 slice whole wheat bread

1 green chili

1” ginger or 2 tsp ginger paste

1 tbsp oil

Salt as needed

Notes:

* 1 yellow onion in the US is equivalent to 2 medium size red onions in India. Also, 1 Russet potato in the US is equivalent to 2 large potatoes in India.

^ Instead of these ingredients, you can use ¾ tsp of ready-made Pav Bhaji Masala.

Procedure

Soak the dried peas overnight with 2 cups of water. Next morning pressure cook the peas after adding a cinnamon stick to it. Alternately, you can also soak them in the morning before going to work and cook them after you return. You can pressure cook them while you are preparing the masala and the pattice. For pressure cooking, do not discard the water used for soaking so as to preserve the nutrients. Leave the vessel uncovered in the cooker, otherwise the peas can spill over. Let the cooker whistle once on high heat, after which turn down the heat to low and keep it on low for 7 minutes. You can pressure cook the potatoes along with the dried peas by stacking the vessel of dried peas over the vessel of potato.

In a grinder, make a paste using the ginger, garlic, green chili, pepper corns, fennel seeds and kasuri methi.

Heat oil in a steel pot on medium heat. When it is hot enough, add cumin seeds. Allow them to sizzle before you add the asafetida and bay leaf. Then add the chopped onions and allow them to turn light brown on low heat, leaving the pot uncovered.

In the meantime finely chop the tomatoes. For the pattice, you can peel the potatoes and cut them so that they cool faster. Grind a slice of whole wheat bread into crumbs. Also, make a paste of ginger and chili for the pattice.

Once the onions are light brown, add the tomatoes, the ground paste and dry powders and sauté for a minute. Cook the tomatoes on low to medium heat till the oil separates.

Then add the cooked peas, salt and sugar, if needed and mix well. Add ½ to 1 cup of water depending on the consistency you like. Cover the pot with a lid and let the peas absorb the flavors of the masala for about 5-7 minutes and then turn it off.

Mash the potatoes that have cooled down and mix in the bread crumbs, salt and ginger-chili paste. Make round balls and flatten them lightly.

Heat oil in a non-stick pan and pan fry the pattice till brown on both sides.

Now serve the pattice with the ragda. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves, onion and tomatoes.

Ragda can also be eaten with rice or with phulkas/ chapatis if you don’t have time to make the pattice. Enjoy!!